A powerful 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit central part of the Philippines on Tuesday, September 30.
The earthquake was centered at Calape at a depth of 10 kilometers (about 6.2 miles).
Experts warned that the earthquake might not only cause damage but could also trigger a small tsunami in the area.
As per multiple reports, preliminary survey models indicate that an earthquake of this magnitude in that area could result in injuries or deaths and cause serious damage, especially to weakly constructed buildings.
The earthquake struck at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometers beneath the sea, close to the town of Palompon in the Philippines.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) had received 301 direct reports from people who said they felt the tremor.
The USGS further estimated that over 500,000 people across the Visayan Islands in central Philippines experienced intense shaking from the quake.
Very strong shaking will bring “considerable damage in poorly built or badly designed structures” as well as “slight to moderate damage in well-built ordinary structures,” according to the USGS.
Calape is located near Cebu City, a major urban center and also close to Tacloban, a city remembered for being heavily damaged by the Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013.
